Deathly Insanity
by turn around bright eyes x
Summary: Because Nico is the one who loved Percy when he went insane. (slashy, OOC, Pico, Rated T for character death and madness, slashy angst)


"Nico, don't leave."

Nico looks at the brown haired boy who writhes and sweats in the hospital bed. Percy is clammy, and needs to catch his breath every minute or so.

Nico wants to leave this room of pain and reminder of what the second Great Prophecy has done to them. He wants to leave this boy he loves, but he can't.

So he stays. He stays for Percy Jackson. He stays for the sickly, unknowing boy on the bed.

The blue eyed boy is, as Chiron says, insane. Ever since the prophecy he can't sleep, can't eat, can't even get out of bed. He's confused, delirious. The only thing Percy remembers is he loves Nico.

And so, Nico stays, because he still loves Percy, even after being shunned time after time for Annabeth. He loves him, even when he went insane.

Xxx

"Nico, I can't…"

Nico looks at the brown haired boy who struggles to sit upright, to spoon his own soup into his mouth. Percy is deteriorating right before Nico's eyes. He isn't sure of what to do except to pat his back and say it's ok.

But it's not ok. If Percy's not ok, then neither is the boy who loves him. Nico can't stand seeing Percy in pain.

"Shh, shh, it's ok," He murmurs before pressing Percy back into the pillows.

He spoons a bit of soup into Percy's mouth.

Nico wishes that Percy would just shut up. He doesn't want to be reminded of Percy's pain and confusion. Watching the one he loves is enough, hearing it? If he heard Percy's pain, he would probably go insane too.

Nico wonders why Annabeth or Chiron, or Grover never come to visit Percy. It is always him, day and night, helping Percy brave the horrors of nightmares.

He manages to realize that they have painful memories too. But still, he looks doubtfully at Percy, they could help him sometime with him.

Nico regrets his thoughts. He knows that even if they did try to help, NIco would never let them. He cares far too much for Percy.

After all, he loves him, even when he went insane.

Xxx

"Nico, could you…"

Nico looks at the brown haired boy who stares pitifully at the wall. Percy's ribs show through the blanket. The fire in his eyes diminishing.

Nico does what he can. He listens to what Percy wants. He does what Percy needs. Percy is scared to know he needs help, but Nico pretends not to see this. He pretends not to see Percy duck his head in shame when he needs help getting to the loo.

Desperation seizes Nico. He doesn't know what will happen to him if Percy stops fighting. Will he die, peacefully? Or will he die writhing in his sleep, calling out the names of the dead?

Nico doesn't know what he'll do if one day Percy doesn't exist anymore. Love is a powerful thing and Nico is no match against it.

"Nico?" Percy chokes out.

"Yes, Percy?" he replies after a moment.

"I love you," Percy's fingers, slim and bony, search Nico's face. They gently stroke his pointed chin and his sloped nose. They find their way up to his eyes and they find sticky tears running down his face.

"Why are you crying?" Percy whispers.

"I love you. Please, don't leave me. Ever."

Nico cries tonight and Percy helps him stop.

They both love each other, but NIco is the one who loved Percy when he went insane.

Xxx

"Nico, I…"

Nico looks at the brown haired boy who can't even string together a couple of sentences. Percy struggles, opening his mouth, then closing it. Tears leak out the corners of his blue eyes.

Nico strokes Percy's sweaty bangs. He murmurs words of encouragement. He tells him everything will be alright. Because that's all he can do to let Percy have a few more moments of life.

Finally Percy speaks.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," He gasps out loud before sinking into his pillows. He swallows hard.

Nico cries again.

What do you do when the one who loves is dying before your eyes?

Xxx

"Nico…"

"Yes?"

"Kill me. Kill me when I no longer have the power to talk. Kill me when I can't see your face any longer. Will you do it?"

The words are rushed and rather painful. Nico clenches his eyes and fists closed and shakes his head. How can Percy ask this of him? Hasn't he put him in enough pain? Apparently not.

"I can't," he whispers.

Nico leans forward and presses his lips to Percy's. He is desperate and hungry and lonely and already feeling the pain that losing Percy would bring.

Percy tastes like death. Nico knows what this tastes like. He sobs as he collapses onto Percy's chest. Percy's hands are there to comfort him. They stroke his unwashed hair softly.

"I love you."

Nico can't help it. He bursts it out. He loves Percy and that's all that matters in that moment.

"If you love me, you will kill me," Percy is dead serious.

Nico nods.

What else can he do when the one he loves is dying right before his eyes?

Xxx

"Nico," Percy gasps, "it hurts."

Nico shakes his head as he grasps Percy's hands in his own.

"I…Everything's foggy," Percy sobs.

Nico can tell that he is dying, right here, right now. In his arms. Percy is dying in his arms. Can he do it? Can he really bring himself to suffocate Percy? To take him out of his misery.

His hand twitches.

They're upon his neck now.

They fall limp.

Nico can't kill the only boy who he has ever loved. He can't do it. Fresh tears drip onto Percy's unfeeling hands.

With a last breath Percy's eyes open on Nico.

"You promise," they accuse.

And he did promise. But what can you do when the one you love is dying right before your eyes? Nico tries to hold onto Percy. To give him a couple more minutes.

Nico deserves this, because he is, after all, the one who loved Percy when he went insane.


End file.
